Monday, April 16, 2012
PT Semen Gresik Tbk is prepared to enter a higher growth rate than the normal one from the second quarter of 2012. In addition to being supported by the current high demand for cement, the performance of Indonesia's largest cement producer will also be supported by the operation of its new plant, Tuban IV, with a production capacity of 2.5 million tons per year.
"The completion of the Tuban IV plant construction project is ceremonially celebrated by lighting a trial fire on kiln on April 5, 2012. The newly constructed cement making plant will improve the production capacity of the company," says Ahyanizzaman Finance Director of PT Semen Gresik this weekend.
He further states, in line with the operation of the new Tuban IV cement plant, the performance of the company is expected to increase in the first quarter of 2012 compared to the same period the previous year. However, he does not intend to reveal the predicted rate of growth.
"For the first quarter of the year alone, the company’s growth and performance is better than the same period last year. However, we are still waiting for the result of our report to Bapepam-LK," he says.
The operation of the new cement plant was marked by lighting a fire on the rotary kiln by State Minister for State Enterprises Dahlan Iskan last week. Fire on the rotary kiln will last for four days, followed with Heating up in mid-April and will continued with feeding. The plant is expected to be fully operational by the end of April.
President Director of Semen Gresik Dwi Soetjipto says that, with the operation of the Tuban IV plant with a production capacity of 2.5 million tons per year, the company will improve its production capacity to 22.5 million tons per year
Furthermore, the other new cement plant, Tonasa V, is also expected to operate in the second quarter of this year. So, the company's production capacity by the end of 2012 will reach 25 million tons per year.
Domestic Market
Throughout the first quarter of 2012, total domestic sales of cement in Indonesia reached 12.5 million tons, or about 18.2 percent growth compared to the first quarter of 2011 which was 10.57 million tons.
Data of Indonesia Cement Association noted that the total sales of cement during the month of March 2012 reached 4.379 million tons, up by 16.2 percent compared to February 2012. Total sales volume is still dominated in Java and Sumatra.
"The level of cement consumption per capita in Indonesia is only around 199 kilograms in 2011 and will continue to grow, because it is still relatively low," says Teguh Hartanto, Analyst from Bahana Securities on a separate occasion.